For the last 10-20 years, our country has been told and has believed the lies that life is all about them. The lies that say you shouldn’t have to work hard. All you have to do is show up and get paid. Also, you don’t have to take any financial responsibility for yourself and your family. Max out your credit cards. Live life and have whatever you want-you deserve it. In fact, you also deserve paid vacation and paid sick time and paid insurance, ect., ect., ect. A vacation from what? I’m not saying that vacations are a bad thing, but if your life is so bad that you need a vacation to escape, change your life- change your character. Burnout comes from doing things that go against your character and against your beliefs.
Look at our country. Look at the people that make up our country. They are great people, but have been told lies and have believed those lies. They are confused. Deep down, they know what’s right and wrong, yet they make excuses and go along with the rest of society. Look at their lives. What is it that they value? People have been encouraged not to work, not to take responsibility, and to take the easy way out. Is the easy way really that easy? Do you think that women who are told lies about abortion live easy lives years later when they realize that they not only did they escape from their responsibility of parenting, but worse they actually took life from their baby, from their child? Is it really the government’s responsibility to care for us both financially and physically? Is this really the easy way? Should someone else really be making important decisions for us? Someone’s going to be in control.
I heard this song with the words-“ I will sail my vessel until the river runs dry” on my drive back home from the past AMC bootcamp up in MN and it made me think about our profession and all the great doctors of chiropractic who are out there-some of whom know they are great and some who don’t and some who are trying to be great. It made me think about a doctor who had just given her testimonial in front of her peers while at the AMC bootcamp. As I sat there and listened to her tell her story, tears were not just in her eyes, they were filling up in my eyes as well. Because despite many challenges, and obstacles, and failures. Despite many management groups, she continued on in her dream of being a Chiropractor and changing lives through chiropractic.
Her dream had been stepped on many times. Yet the dream was strong enough to keep her persisting even through several chiropractic management failures. The dream brought her to AMC. She continued to sail and sail she did-right to AMC where her dream is growing. This young doctor who has such passion for what she does was about to let her dream die. The river was almost dried up for her. I hope she reads this blog and knows that what she went through has strengthened her beyond what she knows, but I see it in her. It has strengthened me and my efforts to keep the dream alive for other chiropractors. She is the cream of our profession and like the cream, is rising to the top. The support both emotionally and financially that her husband has given her has no doubt been a significant driving force even though he made light of it by jokingly saying something along the lines of that’s okay—someday you’ll be able to buy me a boat. Everyone in that room that morning knew how much it meant to her. I hope that someday as they sit on their boat together they look around them at the water surrounding them and are able to say “I will sail my vessel until the river runs dry.”
Surely there will be more challenges in store for this doctor and her husband, just like all of us will have challenges, some greater than others-but keep sailing. Keep your dream alive. Look for the answers, search for them with all your heart and might, and you will find them. Remember what’s important and live it. Like this doctor who wanted to badly to be a chiropractor for so many years because she knew and understood the power that comes from removing nerve interference, that one can only come through the power of chiropractic. She continued to sail despite the low water level. No matter what the water level is in your life, keep sailing. Where there is a will-there is a way.
I heard an interview of a famous singer on the radio yesterday that caused me to stop and write down some notes. The famous singer was basically asked about his success and was asked if he was surprised in any way of the success he was having. While this singer wasn’t surprised at the success he was and is experiencing, he was surprised with the amount of focus and determination that it took to be successful. He said he “never knew it took this much focus” and was amazed at the focus it has taken to get this far in life and being aware of your business and what is going on-being on top of your game.
Success often doesn’t come by surprise, because those that are successful have been focused on it and have been working towards that. Just like the famous singer who was interviewed said he wasn’t surprised, but he said he did have to change his life to get there. He said he doesn’t party like he use to because he knows Monday morning when he goes in, to be at the top of his game writing a new song, his life requires his full attention and focus.
Your success in chiropractic and in your business is going to come from focus-and lots of it. Consistent focus and being on top of your game-being a great adjuster, knowing what you’re doing and being on top of your stats, your marketing-both internal and external, staff training, and on and on and on. With continued hard work and focus, you will not be surprised with the success that comes in your practice and in your life.
At a recent wedding reception my husband and I attended, someone I hadn’t talked to in years came up to me and asked me if I ever thought I would’ve been this successful. Though I may have accomplished many things in my life and others may look at me from the outside and see my life as successful, I am not surprised at where I am in my life because I have spent the last 8 years focusing and working towards it. Success does not come by accident. It has taken a lot of focus and awareness and work. However, where I am now is not the same place I intend to be 8 more years from now.
I, just like all of you, I have not reached my potential. How many of you are striving to be one of this country’s best? In times like this, our country needs people just like yourself to step up to the plate and be their best. To serve rather than to be served. To give instead of taking. To make a difference doing what they do and doing it with a grateful and appreciative heart. To work hard and do good work. What you do and how you do it does count. It does make a difference. The work you do carries with it great responsibility and great rewards.
